Tone modifier



- Aug. 12, 2924 0 v l m F. E. SHANE TONE MODIFIER Filed April 2, 1925sauna-nice TGNE MODIFIER.

Application filed a rn a, we. Serial No. 629,351.

State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTone Mourners;

and I do declare the following to be a r- .l, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and useth'e same, reference being hadto the accofn'ipanying drawings, and to the figures o reference markedthereon, which form a p of this specification. I

p This invention relates to tone modifying attachment adapted for use inconnection with reed instruments, such as saxophones and the like, theprimary object being to provide a device which will modify the sound ortone of the saxophone to render it adaptable when the device isfunctioning for the so-called azz music.

I am aware that devices have been provided for eifecting the same resultbut these devices have generally been applied to the key orifices sothat when the tone-modifier is applied to any particular key orifice,that particular key becomes ineffective to perform its normal function.In other words the application of the tone-modifier is introduced intothe instrument at the sacrifice of a key and while it is generallyapplied to one of the keys for the higher tones, the key is sometimesrequired to produce its tone in a natural way and when the deviceshereto fore known have been in use, the key is not available. I I x Myinvention consists in providing a tone- 'modifier on the mouthpiece ofthe saxophone so that it can be used without in any way affecting themechanical operation of the instrument and to this end the inventionconsists in certain novel arrangements of parts which will bespecifically referred to hereinafter, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of asaxophone to which my invention is attached.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view through themouthpiece, showing the invention applied.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, longitudinal, sectiona1 view through thetone-modifier and part of the mouthpiece.

Fig. 4 is a disassooiated ,view of the various parts, showing theirrelative positions when they are ready to be assembled, and

Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional view through a slightly modified form oftone modifier.

The saxophone 1 is of usual construction with an appropriate mouthpiece1' thereon. The mouthpiece conforms in all essential particulars withthe conventional type of mouthpiece, having the usual mou ipiece proper,the reed 2 and the ligature 3.

Transversely through the wall of the mouthpiece and preferably in thetop there of is an opening 1. Surrounding the open ing l is a seat 5,bound by an internally threaded collar 6, which receives the esiternally threaded portion 7 of a clamping collar or ring 8. Upon the seat 5may be placed a diaphragm or disk 9 of tissue, fish paper, gut or thelike. Tn actual practice I prefer to use fish paper.

The disk 9 is clamped between the clamping collar and the seat 5 so thatit will be held taut over the opening at and so that it will vibrateunder certain conditions when the instrument is alayed. The clampingcollar is provided with an enlarged offset portion 10 with a conicalinner 11 merging into a diameter approiiinnitely equal to that of theopening a The offset portion of the collar or clamping ring is threadedto receive the threaded fiange of a cap 18 having a central opening 14;coinciding with the central opening 15 in a valving disk 16. The cap 13and the valving disk lfi have complementary openings 17 and 18 which canbe caused to coincide, or the edges of the openings 18 may be caused tooverlap the edges of the openings 1? by turning the valving disk 16.

Projecting through the openings 1% and 15 is a bushing 20, the lower endof which is in threaded engagement with the opening 1%. The upperportion near the head 21 is unthreaded so that the disk 16 may rotatefreely about it. The bushing carries an adjustable damper screw 22having knob or head 43 so that it can be turned and at the inner end ofthe damper screw is a damper 2a which may be moved toward and away fromthe diaphragm 9 to have a damping effect thereon. The diaphragm may haveits outer edge reinforced by a ring 25 if desired. The ring also affordssuffi cient material to permit the diaphragm to be firmly clampedbetween the collar 8 and the seat 5.

The ligature 3 is shown as provided with a central opening 26, whichfits over the collar 6 so that the ligature may properly function tohold the reed fast to the mouthpiece proper.

hen the parts are assembled and the player plays the instrument in theusual Way, there will be no effect. By the usual way, reference is hadto the natural manner of playing a saxophone. If the instrument is to beplayed as a jazz instrument, the screw 22 is turned so as to move thedamper 24 away from the diaphragm. Then the diaphragm will vibrateduring the time that the instrument is played, with the result that thean effect will be produced.

The disk 16 can be turned to vary the effective areas of the openings 17so that the effect can be loud or soft; therefore, the disk 19 in effectconstitutes a damper while the element 16 is more in the nature of amute. Indeed, when the openings 17 are closed, there will be noperceptible effect on account of the vibration of the diaphragm; thefull effect will be had when the openings are open to their fullestextent.

The mute damper 24 can be moved toward or away from the diaphragm tovary the effect of the tone rather than its volume and-I prefer to makethe opening in the collar 8 conical as shown, although I do not Wish tobe limited in all forms of the device to that particular shape of theopenmg.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a slightly modified form of tone modifier. Inthis form the construction conforms generically to the form shown inFig. 3 but instead of having a screw 22, I prefer to provide a slidingstem 27, the upper end of which engages a slotted lever 28 pivoted tothe bracket 29 carried by the bushing. The lower end of the stem 27carries a plunger valve 30, which acts as a mute in the manner that thedevice 24: functions.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the device can be placed uponthe ordinary saxophone, it being only necessary to modify themouthpiece, and that the application of the device to the saxophone willin no wise affect the playing of the instrument in a natural way,provided the diaphragm is muted so as to render it unable to function.However, by a slight adjustment, the device can be converted from anatural form of saxophone to one ntrticularly suitable for jazz music.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

l. A mouthpiece for musical instruments having a transverse opening, atone-modifying diaphragm closing the opening, means for securing thediaphragm to the mouthpiece comprising a collar, a damper on the collar,the damper comprising rotatable disk having openings for varying theeffective opening of the collar, and a mute movable toward and away fromthe diaphragm.

2. A mouthpiece for musical instruments having a transverse openi atoneanochfying diaphragm closing the opening, means for securing thediaphragm to the 1nouthpiece comprising a collar, a camper on thecollar, the damper comprising a rotatable lisk having openings forvarying the effective opening of the collar, and a mute movable towardand away from the diaphragm, said mute comprising a screw stem having adisk thereon.

3. A mouthpiece for musical instruments having a transverse opening anda recess surrounding the opening to provide a diaphragm seat, adiaphragm in the seat, a. collar in the recess for clamping thediaphragm on the seat, a removable cap on the collar, a bushingprojecting through the cap, a rotatable perforate disl: having epeuii sadapted to be brought into and out of register with correspondingopenings in the cap, and a unite-carrying stem longitudinally adjustablein the bushing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FREDERICK E. SHANE.

